Campaign urges young to take care with drink

Published on Monday 31 August 2009 22:02

A £100 million, five-year campaign to tackle binge drinking among young adults will be launched today.

The move comes as research showed that almost one in four young people have been ashamed of their appearance while drunk within the past 12 months, a quarter have not known how they got home, and nearly a third have blacked out.

But a third of young adults claim they do not need advice about alcohol, according to the YouGov survey of more than 2,000 people aged 18-24.

The Why Let Good Times Go Bad? initiative, hailed by organisers as the biggest ever campaign to tackle binge-drinking among young adults, urges those aged 18 to 24 to evaluate their drinking habits in a bid to change the social acceptability of drunkenness.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of alcohol charity Drinkaware, said: "Changing the drinking culture in Britain won't happen overnight but, with the right support, information and advice, young adults can change their own drinking patterns.

"Some young adults think they know all there is to know about alcohol, but simple tips like eating before going out drinking, pacing yourself with water or soft drinks, looking after your mates and planning your journey home, can help them stay safe and prevent their good times going bad."

The campaign, backed by the government and the drinks industry, will see warnings placed on 13 million products, including neck labels on bottles, cans and multi-packs, and in pubs, phone boxes, and supermarkets. Off-licences will carry campaign posters, drink mats, and stickers presenting "tips for smarter drinking", Drinkaware said.

UK health secretary Andy Burnham said alcohol was a serious health problem for "too many" people.

"The alcohol industry has a big responsibility to tackle excessive drinking and there are many things we can do, by working together, to promote a healthy attitude to alcohol," he said. "This campaign is a good step forward."